Chapter 10
Title: The devil you know
Jondy awoke the next morning alone, she felt around the bed to confirm what she already suspected but her hand only found rumpled sheets. The pillow next to her had a funny looking dent however and when Jondy rolled over she could smell Biggs on it. Smiling she buried her face in the pillow, inhaling his scent deeply. He had been here and watched over her as she slept. Jondy nearly cried, she wanted him so badly. He hadn't complained after she stopped him, hadn't yelled at her for being a tease. He'd just held her and made her feel safe. Somehow in the light of morning she felt refreshed enough and brave enough to face anything head-on. Even talking to Biggs and telling him. But first came work, she was well aware that today was going to be important in determining whether the transgenics were going to stay on American soil.
Giving into her urge she inhaled once more to savour the moment then quickly got ready to face the day. When she entered the command centre she could tell from all the tense faces everyone was feeling the strain of having ordinaries back on the base. Jondy pasted a smile on her face and prayed it was convincing. She could see Biggs and Alec in the distance discussing the extra security measures with Mole while Max was giving a pep-talk to the assigned trainers. To accommodate the ordinaries they had only picked male X5's to lead the training schedule. She headed closer to Max, the last sentence of the pep-talk reached her ears and she smiled. Max hadn't lost any of her usual gusto and she was having a relaxing effect on the men.
Max had caught Jondy's entrance and immediately noticed how Jondy seemed more relaxed than she had been in days. Breathing a sigh of relief she hoped the two of them had managed to sort everything out. But as Jondy came closer Max saw no indication that Jondy was mated, intrigued the brunette cut her speech short and dismissed the men. She met Jondy halfway and linked her arm with Jondy, steering her to an office nearby. Max was determined to get some answers but one look on Jondy's face told her that this wouldn't be a heart to heart just yet. Max smiled in encouragement and shifted her attention on the day ahead.
"You ready for this?"
Jondy frowned briefly "It'll be weird having military personnel on the base but I'm more concerned for the others. At least we weren't there for the whole treatment."
Max nodded and let her eyes sweep the room till she could see Alec across the room. He must've felt her gaze because he shifted his stance slightly and tossed a look and a wink her way. Max could feel her insides warming at his attention and she let out a contented sigh. Jondy smiled, "I don't need to ask you if you're happy with the way things turned out."
"I never thought it could be this way, Jon."
"Well, you deserve it. You both do."
Max smiled and let her mind wander a little while she thought back on the morning. Alec was in the shower first, wanted to be prepared for the day ahead. Max had been up for hours and she was feeling playful. So she had cornered her man in the shower and despite his initial protests got exactly what she wanted to start off the day well. Thinking of her plans for that day she turned back to Jondy with a more serious expression on her face.
"I want to start with a new training regimen. It will be voluntary but I need a test case. I'd have Alec do it but he's got enough on his plate today. You up for it?"
Jondy wasn't sure whether she was in any mood to be a test case for anything but she could understand why Max would not want to ask anyone other than her siblings. The others must've had their fill of experiments under Manticore but would probably feel uncomfortable about refusing their returned-from-the-dead leader. She thought of refusing but knew there wasn't anything for it so she changed her mind and nodded. Before she could ask Max for any details the guards at the gate reported the arrival of the DOD group. When Alec heard the name of the ranking officer he couldn't help but smirk at Biggs. Biggs looked like he was having his teeth pulled without sedation and threw his lifelong friend a look that barely concealed his fury and chagrin.
"Well, we knew they'd come up with something, let's go and greet the man, shall we?"
Jondy signalled to Max they'd talk more later and followed both men out to the guardhouse to supervise the check-in of the soldier scheduled to commence training that day. She skilfully avoided drawing attention to herself but before long the officer demanded to be introduced to the Alpha team of their rapid response force. Jondy was well aware what consequence this would have. She had spent over a decade staying under the radar but now her name and designation would be known to the government. Despite her reservation against being 'outed' she felt pride swell inside when Biggs signalled for her. She took her time walking over to where they were standing and held herself in a professional manner, showing none of her feelings and halted to greet her nemesis. She acknowledged the man without introducing herself. "Hello, Lydecker."
Lydecker looked at the woman facing him and smiled instinctively recognizing one his 'kids', even if he couldn't name her directly. "Well, well, this looks like one of my kids. Which one are you? Or would you rather I guess?"
Biggs came to her aid and abruptly informed his former training officer. "This is my SiC. She will keep you informed of our progress throughout the day."
Jondy turned on her heel refusing to do more than merely acknowledging the man's presence. She signalled to get both men's attention and the three of them stepped out of hearing distance. Biggs was confused at Jondy's behaviour, never before had she ever shown her disdain for a man as clearly as she had just done with Lydecker. Alec had a better idea of what was going through Jondy's mind from observing Max but he wondered what she would ask them.
Jondy meanwhile was wondering how to approach the subject. She was well aware her statements would most likely be rebuffed considering everything that was at stake here but she wanted to keep something far away from good old Deck. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself and started to speak in an even tone. "Look I'm aware we'll have no choice but to admit Lydecker on base but I want him trailed by 2 X5's at all times. I don't want him to see Transsecurity or the children. I have no intention of turning those kids into targets and they'll be targets once Lydecker sees them. All he wants is some more of us 'special' kids to play around with."
More and more of the venom she felt seeped into her voice as she spoke, and both men could feel the loathing she felt for the man coming from Jondy in waves. Not one to ignore instincts they nodded simultaneously and Alec smiled. "I agree but let's make it transhumans. We all know how much good old Deck loves the freaks from the basement. I have a feeling even Mole will gladly take a turn if it means making our former CO uncomfortable."
Jondy grinned at the thought and nodded her assent, she moved away to arrange the security detail and missed Biggs' look of undisguised affection. Alec didn't, however, and it if hadn't been for the troop of soldiers nearby he would've surely enjoyed ribbing his best friend for it. As it was, he merely nudged him and directed the processed men to the gym. When they were all accounted for Alec returned to the command centre and focused his attention on the battle plan against the breeding cult. They were still in the dark about the nature of Max's reason for captivity and the location where she'd been held.
He was surprised to note that Max wasn't in the command centre ribbing him about keeping civilian casualties to a minimum but resisted the urge to look for her. These new runes were most likely another warning of an event they needed to stop and Alec was determined to make sure this was the last time. Humanity deserved a fighting chance and Alec wanted a little peace and quiet, at least those goals wouldn't contradict each other. Maybe after the last remnants of the cult were wiped out things would die down and people would forget about the super-soldiers living in their backyard.
Outisde, Max was leaning on the edge of the rooftop watching her old nemesis cross the yard to see his men engage in new hand to hand combat techniques. She waited for the familiar feeling of hate to stir inside her but her inner predator stayed quiet. It had determined Lydecker wasn't a threat to her or her loved ones, even if Max wanted it to be different. She got off the ledge and jumped to the next building over, getting closer to him to get a better reading of his scent. Still nothing.
She headed down the fire escape and landed in a crouch 10 feet behind him. Lydecker halted his advance to the yard and spoke without turning. "Only Max would be able to get this close to me without alerting me. I didn't realise you were still alive but I'm glad that you are."
Max kept her quiet and did nothing to acknowledge his assumption correct. Her instincts were at full alert and although she could sense his discomfort with Mole she could find no betrayal or danger in him.
"You really did always have our best interests at heart, didn't you?"
Lydecker smiled wistfully and nodded. "I always wanted what was best for you kids."
"We are no longer children, Donald. We make our own choices now."
"But are they the right choices, Max? How can you be sure this is right for all of them?"
"Doesn't matter, even when we make mistakes, they're our mistakes to make."
"Ah, yes. But, Max, remember that your special abilities will have consequences for your mistakes. Are you so sure everyone won't be happier back where they belong?"
"Everyone, Donald? Or only those you can use? No I think we'll stay right here, thank you."
"I do believe you are making a mistake. Max? Max?"
Lydecker listened for some indication she was still there and realised Max had moved on. He nodded again and headed towards his men to observe their training, he would try again later.
Max watched him move away from a nearby window and returned Mole's salute as he passed by. She shook her head to clear it from the doubts Lydecker had tried so hard to place there.
"No matter how hard I tell myself not to, that man still impresses me."
"Same here, sis. Same here. Now what did you want to teach me.?"
Luke busted into Alec's office with a stack of papers flying from his grasp as he stumbled on the doorjamb. "Alec, I've figured it out."
Alec ushered the man to a seat and called Chat in to summon a meeting as soon as the building was swept for bugs. Chat busied himself for the next few moments calling in all the people and replacing the security detail on Lydecker. Soon they were all assembled and Chat was about to close the door on them when Alec beckoned him closer. "Chat, if this is a strategy session I need you in here. We may need to act on this information immediately and you know how Maxie hates to repeat herself."
There were chuckles around the room as Chat pulled up a chair and Max mock-glared at her mate. She directed Luke to begin his rapport and leaned back in her chair to hear it.
"I've translated the rune you came in with, it means succession. At first I wasn't sure whether that meant ours or theirs since the rune wasn't exactly ancient Minoan. But in conjunction with its context in Ancient Egyptian mythology I've managed to determine that the breeding cult is dealing with a power struggle at the moment. According the Egyptian folklore if the leader of pharaoh no longer has the confidence of the gods he needs to be replaced by way of a sacred counsel. It is reminiscent of the conclave. The major players on the cult come together at a sacred location and do not leave until a unanimous leader has been elected from their midst."
Alec furrowed his brow and appeared deep in thought. "Alright, first order of business is finding that location. If we can launch a decisive strike at that time we will cripple the Cult, hopefully into oblivion. Any chance that location can come from research?"
Luke looked dejected. "It's possible but not very likely, it's a sacred place for them but the cult never left any records for us to find."
Alec nodded. "Alright we'll have to do it the hard way then. Chat, arrange that the good senator is back under full watch. I want to keep him in sight every minute of every day until he leaves for this conclave. Any ideas on the timetable we're dealing with?"
"Well technically they are without leadership now so I would imagine soon."
"Alright, Biggs, I want X6's only on this mission, chances are the good senator and his aides won't have pictures of them. Tell Jondy to leave her wigs at home, I'm not taking any chances. Mole, you and I are going to start strategizing based on several enclosed locations. I want to have a plan ready as soon as we have a location. Since there is no way of knowing how long this conclave will last I want to be ready for assault 5 minutes after we get confirmation."
"Alright, people, let's step up manoeuvres and schedule regular drills. Hopefully this will be our last main assault. I want it to be flawless. And our guests see nothing."
Everyone around the table nodded and Max watched as they all left the room making plans and preparing themselves with enthusiasm. Alec caught her watching him under close scrutiny and wondered what she was thinking exactly. He couldn't help but worry that she would withhold the use of terminal force and what that would do to morale. She had certainly changed a lot over the last few weeks but some things were hard to shake. It was for that reason that he was completely taken by surprise when Max took his hand between both of hers and looked at him with admiration in her eyes.
"You are a very good leader, Alec. You inspire people."
Alec basked in the approval he could see in her eyes and felt a warm feeling spreading to the darkest corners of his soul. The whole time she was gone he had chastised himself with thoughts of what Max would think of the decisions he made and now she was telling him she approved of the result even if she hadn't been the there for the process. It was enough to make a normal man feel giddy with happiness but to one with a tortured soul like Alec it gave him a brief glimpse of true happiness and filled him with a fervent wish to have more of such moments. He decided there and then that once the breeding cult was history he was done with anything remotely considered military. He was going to devote his time to Max and his friends.